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VIDEO: Game Highlights

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team saw its season come to a close with a 69-65 loss to Air Force in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Wednesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
 
Despite a fourth-straight loss to conclude the season, UH (17-15) treated its fans to one of the more exciting games of the season.  UH overcame a rough start to take a halftime lead and battled the Falcons (18-13) all the way to the wire in the program's 14th-ever postseason appearance and second CIT appearance in the last three years.
 
Ultimately, UH couldn't stop the long-range accuracy of the Falcons, who hit 15 of their 31 three-point attempts. Mike Fitzgerald nailed six of those three-pointers and finished with a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds to lead Air Force to the second round of the CIT, where they will face Weber State.
 
Freshman Isaac Fotu was a force for UH down low, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while converting 10-of-14 from the field. Christian Standhardinger, who spearheaded UH's first-half surge, added 16 points and eight rebounds.
 
A sluggish start put UH in an early hole. Fueled by its perimeter game, the Falcons took a 19-5 lead just six minutes into the game over a lethargic and out-of-sync Rainbow Warrior squad. But the 'Bows eventually woke up and ramped up its intensity on both ends of the floor. UH went on an exhilarating 19-0 run, holding Air Force scoreless for more than seven minutes. During that span UH turned a 13-point deficit into a 29-23 lead.
 
Air Force nailed eight three-pointers in the first half, but UH took advantage of its superior size, out-scoring the Falcons, 20-2, in the paint and  held a 34-31 lead at the break.
 
The second half was nip-and-tuck throughout with the margin never more than six points. The Falcons retook the lead after hitting a trio of three-pointers early in the second half. It was a lead they would not let go of, but the game wasn't decided until the waning seconds. Trailing 67-65, UH had an opportunity to take the lead, but senior Hauns Brereton's three-pointer was off the mark. The 'Bows were forced to foul and Fitzgerald sealed the game with a pair of free throws with seven seconds left.